Right-handed bats are still plentiful on the open market as spring training approaches. Difference-making starting pitchers? Not so much.

While there has been reported interest from Houston in a reunion, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reported that Astros general manager Dana Brown used Bregman's name in the past tense when speaking to reporters. "During his address at the team's annual media luncheon, Dana Brown twice spoke about Alex Bregman in the past tense," Rome wrote.